From: X@Xer.com   
      
   Hi all   
      
   A major objection raised time-and-time-again (like a struck record really)   
   about humans going either up or down a space elevator is the radiation of   
   the Van Allen belts.   
      
   How much shielding do you need? Is the Mars Direct scheme of using your food   
   and water consumables as Rad-shielding going to be enough? Or do you need to   
   pack an iceberg?   
      
   How about doing what Mother Earth does and take along a Magnetic field? That   
   is why the VA belt is there in the first place right. They're charged   
   particles trapped by the Earth's magnetic field. Well take a couple of hoops   
   of reasonably decent conductors and spread them out at a couple of car   
   diameters once you're clear of the atmosphere and power up. If one magnetic   
   field can attract particles another (of the reverse polarity) can repel   
   them. It might be bad for a satellite 'downwind'.   
      
   Is this completely insane?   
      
   On a completely different subject:   
      
   How many people have you spoken to whose first reaction to hearing about the   
   elevator concept is: 'If this cable is strong enough to hold the station at   
   the top in place then I should able to bungee jump from there, right? How   
   long would it take me to reach the bottom?'   
      
   I know, I work with some REAL adrenaline junkies.   
      
   Regards   
   Frank Scrooby   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)